Elemental Affinity

Ring... Ring...

The next day dawned earlier than I would have liked.

"Ughh..."

Still sore from yesterday's intense training session, I reached for my phone and groggily turned off the alarm.

What followed next was the hardest task of the day: getting out of bed.

Tap...

Dragging myself out of the warm covers, I planted my feet on the cold floor and winced at the protest of my sore muscles.

"I should have stretched more before going to bed..."

Limping toward the bathroom and closing myself inside for a dozen of minutes, I emerged refreshed and dressed with the Academy uniform.

Locking my room behind me, I quickly left the dorm and hurried toward the training grounds.

Yesterday, right after my first class, I received a message that the next morning, 6 A.M sharp, I had to be present in the training grounds.

Approaching the location, I could already see other classmates gathering in small groups, most of them looking equally tired and disheveled. It seemed like everyone had a hard time getting out of bed this morning.

As I arrived, I quickly walked to the corner where there were less people and found a spot to stretch.

While I did my best to stretch my aching muscles, I scanned the area to see familiar faces.

'Lily, Adela, Luna, Eldric, Arthur... Everyone is here.'

Glancing at the protagonists who were all present and seemed to draw the attention of everyone in the area, I couldn't help but chuckle.

Eldric looked like he had just rolled out of bed, with his hair sticking up in every direction and bags under his eyes.

Arthur was struggling to keep his eyes open, his head drooping slightly as if he was fighting off sleep.

Lily tried to stifle a yawn behind her hand, but her tired eyes gave her away.

Adela was still fixing her hair, her hands frantically trying to tame the wild strands that seemed to have a mind of their own.

And Luna...

She looked normal. Too normal for someone who had woken up at such an ungodly hour.

'Abnormal.'

Shaking my head at the thought, I refocused on my stretching, feeling my muscles gradually loosen up.

"Attention!"

Lucas's voice cut through the murmurs, silencing the crowd. He stood at the front of the training grounds, his gaze sweeping across the students.

"I know it's early, and you're probably still half asleep, but I won't keep you here for long."

He weaved his hands through the air and suddenly a white orb materialized in his palm.

"Today, we'll be testing your elemental affinities. One by one, I'll call your names, and you'll come forward and touch the orb."

Channeling his Mana into the orb, he showed its glow change to green for wind affinity.

He demonstrated how the orb would change color for different elemental affinities, and then began calling out names.

"Rank 1: Eldric Whitethorn, step forward and touch the orb."

The first, was of course, Eldric.

I watched as he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and stumbled towards Lucas, his movements sluggish and drowsy. Although he tried his best not to show it, it was clear that Eldric was still half asleep.

Placing his hands on the orb, he willed his Mana to flow into it. Instantly, the orb began to glow a vibrant shade of yellow.

"High Lightning affinity."

Lucas announced and Eldric nodded, going back to his spot with a slight smile on his face.

"Next, Rank 2: Arthur Urinthor, step forward and touch the orb."

...

"High Fire affinity and weak earth affinity."

"Lily Averill, Rank 3: High Water affinity."

"Luna Whitethorn, Rank 4: High Ice and medium light affinity."

"Adela Noire, Rank 5: High Earth and weak wind affinity."

One by one, all the protagonists displayed their elemental affinities and went back to their places. Although they already knew their elemental affinities due to such tests being conducted in each of their families, the official confirmation from Lucas added a sense of legitimacy and significance to their abilities.

There are a lot of elements in this world ranging from fire to shadow, and each person's elemental affinity determines the type of magic they can excel in.

There is also strength of their affinity, which affects the potency and ability to manipulate their chosen element. Having a strong elemental affinity can greatly impact a person's magical abilities and potential for growth in their chosen element.

A person with a high affinity for fire, for example, would find it easier to cast powerful fire spells and manipulate flames compared to someone with a weaker affinity.

"Note Enderfrost: Rank 3655, step forward and touch the orb."

Finally, my name was called. I stepped forward, feeling a mix of anticipation and nervousness.

As I approached the orb, I couldn't help but feel slightly excited. I had no clue what elemental affinity this body had.

'Please be something good.'

Stopping before Lucas, I reached my hand forward and placed it onto the cold surface of the orb. I ordered my Mana to flow into it, anxiously waiting for the orb's response.

Swish...

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, two distinct colors swirled within the orb, creating a mesmerizing pattern.

"Weak Ice and weak darkness affinity."

Hearing my elemental affinities being announced, I couldn't help but feel my face contort with disappointment.

Although there was a way to change affinities' strength later in the novel, right now, having weak elemental affinities meant that my potential for mastering ice and darkness magic was limited.

'Shit.'